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GIORGIO ARMANI to OPEN NEW ARMANI/CASA MILAN STORE

— February 16, 2010

Ten years after its debut, Armani/Casa will open a new store at Via Sant’Andrea 9, in Milan, on April 14 during the Milan Furniture Exhibition and will be the largest Armani/Casa store in the world to date.

“Via Sant’Andrea holds a special place in my heart as it was the first street in which I opened a Giorgio Armani store, back in the Eighties,” said Giorgio Armani. “It is therefore appropriate that it should become the home of the largest Armani/Casa store in the world. Armani/Casa has grown into a very important part of the Armani family of design and has expanded its range of products considerably over recent years. It therefore needs a larger, new home for itself. I am very pleased with Via Sant’Andrea No.9 and am sure my customers will enjoy the experience of visiting it,” the designer added.

The space covers an overall area of 1,600 sq. meters inside a building dating back to the mid-1900s, featuring an elegant Saint Maximin stone-clad façade. The clean, understated lines typical of Armani’s aesthetic philosophy are immediately apparent on entering Via Sant’Andrea 9, where at the end of a long corridor the Armani/Casa logo is emblazoned on the wall. Another major architectural device is the use of two staircases in brown Eramosa stone that contribute to a sensation of great depth.

The concept of the store is to create an exclusive atmosphere with a collection of articles ranging from furniture to lighting and accessories to upholstery fabrics, all carefully selected, taking into account how shape, material and color combine to make a harmonious impression — everything is illuminated by soft lighting.

Bronze polycarbonate panels edged in polished black metal trim have been installed around and inside the space to subdivide display areas. The panels are fitted with lights that beam upwards with graduated intensity, creating warm nuances of illumination. Other display area features include silver tatami flooring and polished black lacquered tubular supports with Plexiglas shelving for accessories.

Meanwhile, the ground floor and basement are dedicated to the Armani/Casa collection, which is displayed in a seamless sequence of spaces that express the unmistakable luxury of the Giorgio Armani design aesthetic.

Occupying the first floor is the Armani/Casa Interior Design Studio. Created in 2003, it offers private clientele and property developers a complete interior design service, from concept to project execution. The studio’s specialist skills lie in finding and developing creative solutions to be implemented by architects, engineers and contractors under the artistic direction of Giorgio Armani. The service is exclusive, from approach to design: a team of professionals undertakes in-depth research into the cultural environment, local geography and the architectural context, to create an interior with perfectly integrated design characteristics and values. The research program then proceeds to explore materials, colors and finishes, with the intention of tailoring each project into a unique product.

Armani/Casa is present in the world’s major cities with 67 points of sale; 29 are freestanding stores and 38 are within multibrand stores.